Classic racket bumper/head gaurd help....

I just bought an older classic..it has no stock head gaurd as alot of the 80's frames didnt...anybody know of a decent and light weight option for protecting the head, besides the gamma type head tape...can you buy universal head gaurds or special order head /bumper gaurds for discontinued models? thanks

The Rossignol F200 has a built-in bumperguard system underneath the paint . I know the ones I sent you were in near mint condition so the best bet is putting a double layer of tape guard over them to not scratch them.

I've used Babolat, Wilson and Gamma

My favorite is the gamma for its thinner profile, but I believe the other two give more protection.

Back in the old days, all manner of head protection was sold to save the top of the racket(or, in the case of the Wilson steel T-series, to save the court or your shins!). I just picked up a Yonex from the late 70s that has a clear(ish) plastic tape(notched to allow for the curve of the frame) that is falling apart at the slightest touch. Of course, this type of application covered most of the top of the frame when perhaps 20% actually covered the area that would actually scrape the court.

I haven't laid eyes on the plastic guards that were designed for the Wilson T-series...they rattled, came off during play and generally looked pretty dorky. They COULD, however, save your skin(shin) or keep you from scarring a hard court.

I'd vote for some sort of tape. Gorilla Tape comes in a size nearly perfect for head protection, if you're near your local hardware store.

Pretty easy to wear the F200 down to air if you're not careful. I'd double or triple the tape in the areas most vulnerable.

Thanks guys! yeah khw is right he sold me some just plain beautiful rossi f200's .. in which i do thank you again freind.. this is my second transaction first was a awesome head club pro!..anywho...i would have put that the head gaurd was in reference to a rossi in the headings title but, i didnt want just rossi (people) to apply to the message..i had no idea that there was an integrated bumper gaurd beneath the paint..wow...
oh well, i just thought there might have been a heavy duty plastic type of tape that i didnt know about that could act as a bumper gaurd...something i could cut and trim to fit...i figured if anybody in the world would know it would be one of you guys! appreciatte it!

Hey coachrick, are you a coach at UT Austin? I ask because one of my good friends just "got in" according to the website and is interested in playing tennis of some sort at UT.

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Sorry, mm, no contacts at UT except for a niece who plays on the Ultimate Frisbee Club Team .

My 'handle' SHOULD read 4merCoachRick but who knows, I might come out of retirement some day! Plus, the CoachRick moniker comes from over two decades of teaching tennis in Atlanta where folks know me as: "Coach Rick--Lord of the Round Robin".

I can tell you that **** here in NY, a customizing authority, has not come up with any alternatives other than protection tape to protect the domes of older frames. They use a generic black variety that they will also lace through the string job for a more professional finish. However, I'd say don't overdo it with the tape because it will significantly affect the balance of the frame. One piece/layer is enough - just accept the fact up front that with no plastic bumper a used frame will get some rubs on top if you don't replace the tape somewhat often. I can say that among the different brands Babolat's tape has a far superior adhesive to the Gamma varieties I've tried in the past. I think we can all agree though that replaceable bumpers were an excellent advancement in racquet tech.

I can tell you that **** here in NY, a customizing authority, has not come up with any alternatives other than protection tape to protect the domes of older frames. They use a generic black variety that they will also lace through the string job for a more professional finish. However, I'd say don't overdo it with the tape because it will significantly affect the balance of the frame. One piece/layer is enough - just accept the fact up front that with no plastic bumper a used frame will get some rubs on top if you don't replace the tape somewhat often. I can say that among the different brands Babolat's tape has a far superior adhesive to the Gamma varieties I've tried in the past. I think we can all agree though that replaceable bumpers were an excellent advancement in racquet tech.

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All good info. Many of the tapes from Bab, Gamma et al look good initially but get pretty ratty as they make contact with the court(duh). To make a good impression, I used the stretchy Babolat tape(a little spendy but attractive), especially when selling a used frame or wanting to add that extra touch for a good client. Haven't used it in a few years, however.

I have a leftover roll of clear tape(hardware type stuff, not tennis-specific) that works well if the racket is not already scuffed up. I haven't tried the Gorilla Tape(black in color) I mentioned earlier but will pick up a roll next time I hit a home center.

Can you imagine developing a suitable universal bumper??? We've been dreaming of that since bumpers made the scene in the mid-80s. In the good old days of moulds used for multiple models of a line, life was good...a Head Pro was a Head Pro--a Master was a Master, Many Wimbledon models could swap bumpers/strips, a few Wilson models could swap strips, as well. Then , the companies went nuts and would switch to a new mould at the drop of a hat.

If you have weight/balance concerns, try removing the tape that covers the string channel or any other area that is not vulnerable to scraping. It might look a bit 'custom' but it will do the job. If a client had a freshly installed tape job, I would slice the tape away to reveal the string channel and string 'em up! Tape did the trick where needed and the customer's tape job remained in place.